Thiruvananthpuram: As part of the state government’s efforts to enhance domestic production of vegetables, a high-level meeting chaired by the chief minister on Friday decided to bring an area of 50,000 hectors under vegetable cultivation this year.
In the initial phase, the government would give shape to a project to grow vegetables on around 26,000 ha of land that is currently lying fallow.
With this comprehensive program, the government aims at increasing production of pesticide-free vegetables through maximum use of unused government and private land.
In order to promote vegetable cultivation in private sector, interest-free agriculture loans up to Rs 3 lakh will be made available to farmers through cooperative banks. The department of cooperation will establish a procurement mechanism by setting up basic infrastructure as well as freezer facilities and warehouses in select areas. The irrigation department will make arrangements to ensure water supply to the farmers, officials said.
Vegetable farming by three-tier panchayats alone would cover about 6,000 hectares in the state.
Lease-land farming by Kudumbashree units will also be promoted under the program. Unutilized private land would be taken on lease to grow pesticide-free vegetables.
The officials are exploring the possibility of cultivating short-term crops such as tomato and lady’s finger targeting the Onam market.
During the Onam season, vegetables will be procured from Vattavada and Kanthallur in Idukki by paying the farmers 10 per cent more than the prevailing market price. At present, a large chunk of the vegetables grown in these area goes to Tamil Nadu. To put an end to the inter-state trade, the department of agriculture would directly approach the farmers and procure the produce, the officials added.
A team of officials, led by agriculture minister V.S. Sunil Kumar will visit Vattavada, known as the vegetable bowl of Kerala, on August 7. Ministers Mathew T. Thomas, A.C. Moideen, and K.T. Jaleel, and Kerala Agriculture University vice-chancellor Dr P. Rajendran will also be part of the team.